A New Goal

Ashrosaliera hadn't moved a single muscle in twenty hours.

The bunk bed creaked now and then beneath her still body, her short white hair tangled around her face like strands of burnt ashes.

"How long has she been lying there?" someone whispered.

"Since yesterday, I think." another answered.

Ashrosaliera lay half-dressed in her new first-year dorm room, with only her white shirt and some shorts she brought after checking in. Usually, she wanted to be in the top bunk. Still, she didn't have the willpower to do it after such a humiliating experience at the [Class Evaluation] test that Ash decided to lie down anywhere she deemed fit, probably even the floor if she had to.

She moved her head a little, seeing Zofia Adinberg on the other end flipping through pages of a book, something about [General Magic Knowledge] which Ash deemed boring but didn't have the energy to tease her for it. Zofia didn't seem to wanna talk to Ash, either, only glancing occasionally with great disdain in her eyes.

Ashrosaliera then looked to the other bunk. There, she saw two strange female students who were supposedly her roommates gossiping.

"sob… Guhh…"

Ashrosaliera started to sob again inside her palm, but the hiccuping and moaning couldn't be snuffed out.

"I waited 18 years for this day- And- And now… hiccup… Uwaaa." Ashrosaliera started wiping her snot and tears, smearing it all over her face while thinking about Zofia, "It's not fair… I'm strong… I shouldn't be in the same class as her."

===

Ongoing Punishment: Your highest-ranked spell will be de-ranked by half for 24 hours.

Spell chosen: Fireball (SSS) > Fireball (B)

Time remaining: 01:32:22

===

Still one more hour until she regains her true strength, but then what? Ashrosaliera thought to herself. They won't allow her to retake the test, and Mom would come for her if she used [Fireball] again. 

Ashrosaliera remembered how, when the principal, Alasta, and the guidance counselor, Pearl Magmal, were deciding her class, they had a minor altercation that deeply rooted into her memory and struck her ego.

—

"Here is your [Fire] badge. You will be joining C-Class." Pearl said, pinning a small metal badge with the flame symbol on her chest.

At this point, Ashrosaliera was still stunned and speechless at how her SSS-Rank spell was only a mere B-Rank. It was the fact that she could only deal damage, not healing, tanking, buffing, or scouting. Plus, [Fireball] is such a basic spell that it made her entire rating worth only a C in their book.

"Oh…! Mr. Magmal, I do not accept this."

Alasta, the elf principal, emerged from the bathroom and stormed towards them, taking significant, bold strides that stretched her white dress.

"I know it is just an attitude problem for you, but ignoring it would only encourage misbehaviours for her and many other ill-mannered students!"

"I understand your point, Ms. Alasta," Pearl said. "But it is not a dire problem enough to warrant an expulsion."

"Then we can compromise and place her in F-Class!" Alasta exclaimed, "This year's batch of students is full of excellence, and we're lacking students in F-Class anyway. That is my final offer!"

Ashrosaliera tried to contest, but was shut down.

—

Ashrosaliera used her academy-issued blazer to wipe her face after finally stopping the tears from rolling.

Ash closed her eyes and began to breathe. She felt confused, disappointed, disgusted, and ugly. The wind coming from the window felt like hands squeezing her throat, and the warmth of the bed sheets now felt like a disgusting wet mess from all of Ash's sweats and tears. She wanted to stand up, but she had no reason to. Where would she even go?

"I want to…" Ash raised her hand in the air, "Turn fate around…"

That was when hope came to her, the same thing that had diverted the course of her life answered. The system beeped in front of her eyes.

===

New Quest Available: The Long Way

Details: Defeat a Fourth Year student

Reward: 0.30 System Points

Status: Ongoing

===

Ashrosaliera's eyes lit up, her mouth gaped open, and she sprang up from her bed for the first time after 20 hours.

"THIRTY?!"

Ash exclaimed, startling the three other roommates as they eyed her weirdly.

Without a single moment to spare, Ashrosaliera began to "suit up" and was ready to head out.

She put on the black blazer with the [Fire] badge.

"Why is it wet…?" Ashrosaliera questioned herself, unaware she had been using it to wipe her tears and snot.

"Thank god that thing's waterproof, and the moisture just slides right off…" one of the roommates commented in disgust. She was an elf with only two sharp ears, not four like the principal.

Ashrosaliera didn't pay any attention to that. She continued by putting on her skirt over her shorts, a pair of leggings, and finally boots.

"I get it now!" Ash spoke out loud, hands on her hips, and in fresh attire. "If I defeat a fourth-year student, they will recognize my talent and place me in a higher class! Wait, I could just target the strongest student in the fourth year and get sent straight to A-class!"

"Is she monologuing?" another girl, a beastman with twisting round horns, said.

Before they could understand Ashrosaliera's weirdness, she immediately jumped towards the other bunk bed they were hanging around; the elf had the top bunk, and the beastman had the bottom.

They wore casual daily clothes, so Ash couldn't see their elemental attribute badges. But nevertheless, she greeted them, full of excess energy that she seemingly accumulated after all those 20ish hours, she placed her hand on her flat chest, and the other raised high in the air:

"Hello! My name is Ashrosaliera Inmopotalten Empyreanel Säpphroaleryst! The future [Elemental Empress] to be, you should be honored to be in the same dorm room as me. I may be an F-Class now, but I'll be in A-Class next week! So now, can you please be so kind as to tell me who's the strongest 4th year student in the academy?" She turned to the elf on the top bunk, "Also… Why do you only have 2 ears?"

The elf girl recoiled. With squinting bright, big eyes, she looked at Ash up and down—well, mostly down, considering she was sitting in an elevated position and Ash was like a little kid down there. But she sensed no danger from Ash and jumped down to greet the girl with a handshake.

The elf landed gracefully without making much sound. Her slim bare feet landed on the toes first, followed by her casual black pajamas. She got her dark blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. Her eyes were friendly brown, and Ash could sense a casual feel to her.

"Ashrosaliera? My name's Cinderella Twilight from C-Class." The elf said, "About your questions, I have two ears only because I'm not a pure-blooded elf. And sorry, I do not know anything about the fourth years."

Upon hearing that answer, Ashrosaliera's expression died down, and she seemed disappointed, but the other girl spoke up.

"Um, actually, I do."

The girl was a beastman like Zofia. Her twisting, round horns reminded Ash of some kind of buffalo, goat, or other animal. She was a chubby woman with a warm smile and puffed cheeks. She had curly, smooth brown hair and brown eyes with thin lashes, wearing a comfortable sweater.

"He's known as [The Poet], the current strongest wizard in the academy from Fourth Year A-Class. Oh, and hi, I'm Tarnisha Smithdottir from A-Class."

Zofia looked over at the three of them and scoffed, but she kept it down, not wanting to intervene or get into an unnecessary fight.

===

[The Long Way] Questline Updated

New Quest [Warrior Humility] added

New Quest Available: The Long Way

Details: Defeat a Fourth Year student, an extra reward shall be granted if the user challenges [The Poet]

Reward: 0.30 System Points (0.60 if defeated [The Poet])

Status: Ongoing

New Quest Available: Warrior Humility

Details: Befriend the three roommates

- Zofia Adinberg: Ongoing [S-Rank difficulty]

- Cinderella Twilight: Ongoing [B-Rank difficulty]

- Tarnisha Smithdottir: Ongoing [D-Rank difficulty]

Reward: 1.00 System Points

Status: Ongoing

===